The NBA has denied the Washington Wizards application for the Disabled Player Exception with respect to injured point guard John Wall, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic:
The Disabled Player Exception allows any team over the salary cap to sign another player in the event that someone on the current roster is likely to miss the entirety of the regular season. The exception is granted by the league and the NBA uses a designated physician and a “Fitness to Play” panel to determine whether or not the injured player in question is unlikely to suit up before next June.
Wall underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon on Jan. 8, and he was expected to begin light jogging earlier this summer. However, the Wizards have insisted that they will not rush him back into action.
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said in May that the team would take a cautious approach with respect to Wall's rehabilitation process (via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington):
“John understands his commitment will show from this rehab,” Leonsis told NBC Sports Washington on the Wizards Talk podcast. “If it takes the whole season, we don't care. We are not putting pressure on you on a time.
“Make sure that you are rehabilitating in the right way so that when you do come back, you don't have that little voice in your head [saying] ‘did I do everything the right way to be able to come back and be a great, great player?'”
However, Wall did not seem overly keen about being held out for the entire season:
The Wizards owe Wall more than $123 million over the course of the next three years. But despite his current status, the NBA will not allow Washington to sign a replacement.
Perhaps Wall will be back sooner than expected.
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